Bit

ABSTRACT

In order to prevent excessive pulling of the mouth of a horse by the reins, control is accomplished by pressure on a nerve above the chin groove of the horse nearer to the neck. The bit has a pair of parallel shanks, each of which has a forwardly curved shank portion slideable in a ring on the end of the mouthpiece which latter may be a chain or broken snaffle. A chin strap connects the tops of the shanks and is located higher than the chin strap on a regular bit. The reins are secured to the lower ends of the shanks, so that when the reins are pulled the curved portions of the shanks slide downward with the rings on the ends of the mouthpiece and pivot around the rings so as to draw the chin strap against a nerve above the chin groove. A leather strap connects the lower ends of the shanks to keep them parallel.

United States Patent Inventor Walter W. Lozier 937 Fredensborg Canyon Rd, Solvnng, Calif. @3463 Appl. No. 36,214 Filed May 11, 1970 Patented Dec. 21, 1971 Assignee Georganne C. White, San Francisco, Calif.

part interest Bll'll v 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[1.8. CI :54/8, 54/7 Int. Cl 186% 01/06 Field of Search 54/6, 7, 8, 9

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 659.286 10/1900 Briggs 54/7 2/1906 Weathers 3/1915 Schlueter Prima ry Examiner-llugh R. Chamblee Attorney-George B. White AHSTRACT: in order to prevent excessive pulling of the mouth of a horse by the reins, control is accomplished by pressure on a nerve above the chin groove of the horse nearer to the neck. The bit has a pair of parallel shanks. each of which has a forwardly curved shank portion slideable in a ring on the end of the mouthpiece which latter may be a chain or broken snaffle. A chin strap connects the tops of the shanks and is located higher than the chin strap on a regular bit, The reins are secured to the lower ends of the shanks, so that when the reins are pulled the curved portions of the shanks slide downward with the rings on the ends of the mouthpiece and pivot around the rings so as to draw the chin strap against a nerve above the chin groove. A leather strap connects the lower ends of the shanks to keep them parallel.

FATENTED BEE21 I97! INVENTOR. H AL TEE IM LUZ/El? Tram/E Y BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Curb bits, spade bits, and other types of solid metal bits pinch the mouth and lips of the horse when the reins are pulled. If the rider has a heavy hand, the horse can be mined by injury to the mouth.

The main feature of this invention is to provide a bit which uses combination of mouth and nerve control, namely the pull on the mouth is minimized while the chin strap of the bit presses and works on the nerve above the chin groove at about the base of the jaw.

Another feature of the herein bit is that the mouth is not the focal point for control, but pressure is put on the branches of the facial nerve above the chin groove, thereby the pinching of the lips is avoided.

Another feature of the herein bit is that it causes the horse to tuck his chin back toward his chest instead of throwing his head, hence this bit is adapted for use as a good training bit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of the bit showing the position when the reins are loose.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the bit as the reins are pulled.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A pair of shanks II are connected at their tops by a chin strap 2, and at their lower ends by a leather strap 3 so as to keep the shanks I parallel. A mouthpiece 4 has rings 5 on its ends to form slideable pivots for the shanks I, as hereinafter described.

Each shank ll has a forwardly curved shank portion 6 slideable in the adjacent end ring 5 of the mouthpiece l, which in the herein illustration is the so-called broken snafile type. On the upper end of the curved shank portion 6 is a shank ring 7. On the lower end of the curved shank portion 6 is another shank ring 8. A straight bar 9 connects the top ring 7 and the bottom ring 8. The convex side of the curved shank portion 6 arches away from the straight bar 9. A transverse brace 10 between the middle of the bar 9 and the apex of the curved shank 6 divides the curved shank 6 so as to limit the upward shifting of the curved shank portion 6 in the snaffle ring 5.

The chin strap 2 has its end loops slideable on the top rings 7 of the shank 1. Reins 11 are fastened into the lower rings 8 of the shank ll.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bit is so balanced that when the reins are loose, the weight of the chin strap causes the curved shank portion 6 to slide up on and pivot around the snaffle rings 5 away from the chin of the horse. When the reins 1111 are pulled, the curved shank portions 6 slide down in the snaffle rings 5 and pivot the shanks so as to press the chin strap 2 against a branch of a facial nerve above the chin groove 12 on the head of the horse, somewhat similarly to a Hakamore bridie, but with a limited slight pull on the mouth. Thus there is more control than with a l-Iakamore bridle. While the shanks slip into curb-type position when the reins are pulled, and tighten pressure on the nerve and on the mouth, the horse's mouth and lips will not be torn or injured no matter how much pressure is applied. Therefore the bit: herein described is particularly adapted for breaking young horses, or for horses with scarred or sensitive mouths and as a training bit for inexperienced riders who are apt to use the reins for balancing themselves and put too much pressure on the mouth of the horse.

I claim:

I. In a bit for controlling a horse,

in combination with a mouthpiece,

a pair of spaced shanks,

a chin strap connected to the upper ends of said shanks,

means to connect reins to the lower ends of said shanks,

a curved shank portion extended from the upper end of toward the lower end of each shank, the convex portion of each curved shank extending toward the mouth of the horse and being slideably connected to the adjacent end of said mouthpiece,

means to limit sliding of said curved shank portion to the area substantially from the apex of said curved shank portion to the upper end of the shank, whereby the pulling of the lower ends of the shanks by the reins pulls the lower ends of the shanks away from the mouthpiece and presses said chin strap against an area above the chin groove of the horse,

said upper ends of said shanks and said chin strap being spaced above the apex of said curved shank portion so as to locate said chin strap substantially above the chin groove of the horse and against branches of the nerve above the chin groove.

2. The bit specified in claim 1, and

the said limiting means including a brace extended from the apex of said curved portion forming the lower abutment on each shank.

3. The bit specified in claim I, and

a ring on the upper end of each shank connectable to an end of said chin strap,

a ring on the lower end of each shank connectable to a rein and to said connecting strap.

6. The bit specified in claim 3, and

a rigid connecting element between the upper ring and the lower ring in each shank, and

a transverse brace extended from the rigid element to the apex of the curved portion and as an abutment to limit the relative sliding of said curved shank portion,

the distance between said abutment and said upper ring being such as to space said chin strap above the chin groove of the horse. 

1. In a bit for controlling a horse, in combination with a mouthpiece, a pair of spaced shanks, a chin strap connected to the upper ends of said shanks, means to connect reins to the lower ends of said shanks, a curved shank portion extended from the upper end of toward the lower end of each shank, the convex portion of each curved shank extending toward the mouth of the horse and being slideably connected to the adjacent end of said mouthpiece, means to limit sliding of said curved shank portion to the area substantially from the apex of said curved shank portion to the upper end of the shank, whereby the pulling of the lower ends of the shanks by the reins pulls the lower ends of the shanks away from the mouthpiece and presses said chin strap against an area above the chin groove of the horse, said upper ends of said shanks and said chin strap being spaced above the apex of said curved shank portion so as to locate said chin strap substantially above the chin groove of the horse and against branches of the nerve above the chin groove.
 2. The bit specified in claim 1, and the said limiting means including a brace extended from the apex of said curved portion forming the lower abutment on each shank.
 3. The bit specified in claim 1, and a ring on the upper end of each shank connectable to an end of said chin strap, a ring on the lower end of each shank connectable to a rein and to said connecting strap.
 4. The bit specified in claim 3, and a rigid connecting element between the upper ring and the lower ring in each shank, and a transverse brace extended from the rigid element to the apex of the curved portion and as an abutment to limit the relative sliding of said curved shank portion, the distance between said abutment and said upper ring being such as to space said chin strap above the chin groove of the horse. 